Maraschino Cherry Cookies

Maraschino cherry cookies are the perfect treat for Christmas cookie trays or for your Valentine for Valentine’s Day. This chewy cookie recipe makes a soft and gooey cherry chocolate chip cookie you’ll love!

 

Why We Love Maraschino Cherry Cookies

• Great For The Holidays – These cookies feel a little extra special for the holidays whether it’s for Christmas, or you are making them for Valentine’s Day. They are extra tempting on a cookie tray, and your family and friends will love the sweet cherry flavor!
• Gooey Maraschino Cherry And Chocolate Flavor Combo – Mixing chocolate chips with maraschino cherries is a really delicious flavor combo that tastes like a chocolate-covered cherry! The oats in these cookies make them chewy, giving them a wonderful flavor and texture.

Ingredients For Maraschino Cherry Cookies

• maraschino cherries – candied cherries and maraschino cherry juice are both used in the recipe from the same jar of cherries
• unsalted butter softened
• granulated sugar
• brown sugar
• egg
• vanilla extract
• flour – all-purpose flour
• baking soda
• salt
• quick oats also called rolled oats
• mini chocolate chips divided, can use regular sized chocolate chips also.

How To Make The Best Maraschino Cherry Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray lightly with cooking oil.
2. Drain the cherries into a small bowl but save the juice. Remove any cherry stems from the cherries and discard. Dry the cherries well with a paper towel, then chop the cherries into small pieces.

3. Add the butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy.

4. Crack and add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Mix well with an electric mixer until fully combined. Add 1 tablespoon of the cherry juice from the jar and mix into the dough. Discard the additional cherry juice.

5. Place the flour, baking soda, and salt in a second bowl. Blend the dry ingredients well, then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined and a thick dough forms.

6. Add the oats, 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips, and chopped maraschino cherries to the dough, folding them in until just evenly mixed.

7. Use a two tablespoon cookie scoop and roll the dough into balls.
8. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet with at least 2 inches in between the cookies. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until they just begin to turn golden brown. Immediately add a few extra chocolate chips to the top of each cookie. from the remaining chocolate chips.

9. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes. Then remove the cookies from the pan and place on a wire rack or clean kitchen towel to cool completely. Serve and enjoy!

Can I Swap In Other Chocolate Chips?

Yes you can swap in other flavors of chocolate chips in this recipe. Dark chocolate chips are especially delicious with the cherries, but milk chocolate chips and white chocolate chips can also both be added to the recipe.

What Kinds Of Oats Can I Use In These Cookies?

Quick oats or rolled oats can all be used in this recipe. Quick oats or rolled oats are both rolled flat, cooked and designed to cook quickly. They will both produce a chewy cookie that is delicious.

Steel-cut oats can not be used in this recipe. Steel cut oats are cut thicker and absorb much more moisture. Steel cut oats will cause the cookies to be too dry and possibly even crumbly.

Instant oats can not be used in this recipe. Instant oats are rolled flat but are cut much smaller. Because they are designed to cook more quickly than quick oats, they will not absorb the same amount of moisture as quick oats or rolled oats. The texture on the cookies will not be as chewy and the cookie dough may be a little too wet.

Does this Recipe Make Pink Cookies?

The cherry juice and chopped cherries usually isn’t enough on it’s own to make the cookies a bright pink color, though cookies look a little pink in the dough.

If you prefer a pink cookie add a little red food coloring to the cookie dough. I would add the food coloring at the same time I add the egg and vanilla. Add a few extra drops of food coloring as the dough color will lighten when you add the dry ingredients.

Can You Freeze Maraschino Cherry Cookies?

Yes you can freeze these cookies. You can freeze them after they have been baked for 1-2 months.

I recommend freezing the cookie dough and baking from frozen. I like to portion the dough into dough balls, and then place them on a cookie sheet in the freezer. Once the dough is frozen transfer the dough balls into a freezer zip top bag. You can freeze the dough for 2-3 months.

How Long Will These Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies Last?

Expect these cookies will taste their best if eaten within 3-4 days. Baked cookies can be stored on the counter in an airtight container.